Kaspersky has launched a security suite designed specifically for netbooks, with the new Kaspersky Internet Security Special Edition for Ultra-Portables optimised for mini laptops running Intel Atom, Intel Celeron-M, or VIA C7-M processors.

The company said the netbook antivirus software won't run on systems that don't use these microprocessors, even those running on a variant of Windows XP.

Netbooks on which the software has been found to run are the Samsung NC10, MSI Wind, Acer Aspire One, and more recent Asus EeePC models. A full list of tech requirements can be found on the company's website.

Given that the software is more expensive that the company's mainstream Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009, what are users actually getting for their money? After all, conventional anti-virus products do run successfully on netbooks of the x86-compatible chip types specified by Kaspersky.

The £40 software has many of the same features as the equivalent high-end product for mainstream x86 CPUs, including virus, web and IM scanning, email filtering, a firewall and security for VPNs. It even has the company's useful virtual keyboard the paranoid might find helpful in defeating keyloggers. The only omission appears to be anti-spam.

As to technical optimisation, the software only runs well at a maximum resolution of 1024 x 600, the company said, which suggests that some of the work has been done on making the application look good on a small screen. More reading: